


Kings of conversation

by enoon



Category: Kings of Con (Web Series), Supernatural RPF
Genre: Kings of Con, M/M, R2 - Freeform, Rob and Rich, kings of conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 03:10:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12832071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enoon/pseuds/enoon
Summary: The thing is: Rich has a superpower. He is able to talk Rob into almost anything and he knows how to talk Rob out of doing or thinking things.





	Kings of conversation

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. English is not my native language. Sorry if there are stupid mistakes and please correct me!  
> 2\. I love and respect both men as well as their wives, and I wrote all this just for fun. And for you guys.  
> 3\. I am more into their friendship than anything else  
> 4\. It was written almost a year ago, actually. It's just that I forgot to finish it and then I totally forgot I ever wrote it. (How was it possible?)  
> 5\. Check out my other R2 fics <3

They are Rob and Rich, the kings, they started it together and there's no way Rob's gonna do the aftershows without his friend. There's no way, he says, and Carly brings him the cardboard cutout of Rich. 

"On the bright side, he won't be able to interrupt you," Rich hugs his paper self and smiles. "You're gonna be alright, man. Look, you can throw him like that, isn't it fun?" 

"S-sure," Rob agrees, thinking that it is anything but fun.

"We're gonna figure something out. I can facetime from Vancouver, you know. Or we can record something."

There is still time for Rob to prepare, to accept and deal with the fact that Rich isn't gonna host the aftershows with him, at least not the first couple of them. It sucks, but what on Earth can either of them do about it? It's always like that with the schedules.

And then the day of the premiere comes, and Rich's directing an episode of Supernatural. He's in effing Canada, and Rob is back in LA, having a panic attack. Carly finds him sitting on the floor with his hands aroud his head.

"Call Rich," she says. "You've half an hour or so, call him."

And Rob does just that. He dials Rich, and they talk. The thing is: Rich has a superpower. He is able to talk Rob into almost anything and he knows how to talk Rob out of doing or thinking things. Rich's mumbling calms Rob down and lifts his spirits up. Rich is, in fact, a king, a king of conversations. And time flies so damn fast.

"It's time, Robbie. You gotta go."

"I know, I just-"

"C'mon, we'll talk after. Wish I could be there with you, ya know that, right?"

"Yep. Miss you, buddy."

"Miss you too."

Rob notices Carly standing in the doorway, checking her iPad and waiting for Rob to hang up. Carly acts like she's still Handler Beth from the show. "Are you ready to go?" she asks him. "We start in six minutes, and you're the only one we're waiting for."

"Are you handling me, handler Beth?"

"Looks like ya need it, so yeah, I do. Let's go."

The first one is easy as it turns out later, mostly because there was BurCon just before Rich went to Canada. Rich returns to LA for a weekend, but Rob is busy and Rich is tired, so the only thing they manage to do is a lunch together. It's not enough, but it's something. 

Hosting the second aftershow without Rich is so much harder. It feels wrong, it hurts, it wasn't supposed to be like that. They're supposed to be in it together.

"I'll come the moment I'm done directing," Rich repeats for the hundredth time. "And by the way, you're killin' it."

"I know, but still, doing it without you sucks," Rob replies.

Doing whatever without Rich sucks, not only this. Texts during the day and phone calls late at night help, of course, but not much. 

"It feels," Rob says the evening before the third live conversation he forced to host alone, "it feels like I'm a teanager once again and you're, well, my first love interest, sorta, and we're spending the summer apart. It's like high school all over again. Jeez, I never miss anyone the way I miss you, Rich."

"Same here," Rich replies. And then, mockingly: "Did you really just compared us to some teanagers in love? Nice."

"Well, it's kinda accurate, don't you agree?"

"Suppose so."

There is a silent moment after that, but it doesn't get awkward. Rich knows how to avoid awkward. The subject is changed, the conversation continues. They go back to that moment almost a week later. Both of them are in San Francisco for the whole weekend. Both of them are very-very drunk and excited: there were news from Ackles earlier. They are so wasted, it feels okay to talk nonsense. It even feels okay to end up cuddling on a couch in their hotel room. After so much time apart it even feels right.

"What d'you think is our story?" Rich asks. "I mean those teens, remember? Who are supposedly in love with each other."

"High school sweethearts?"

"Yes, them."

"Dunno. What d'ya mean?"

"It was you."

"Me what?"

"You coming up with this shit. The comparison, I mean. It was you, not me."

"I didn't-"

"Didn't you?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"What d'you think?"

"Do I think?"

"Ever?"

And then Rob's lost. They are on the couch, doing something they never dared to do before: being so close to each other. They are best friends, yes, very close, even intimate, but somehow this is different from all the hugs they've ever had. Rob feels like he violates Richard's personal space, even though nothing really happens, they just cuddle. Even though it's not Rob who is on top pressing the other one into the dark red leather couch.

"You ain't gonna kiss me, are you?" Rob whispers.

"No," Rich answers. "I suppose it's gonna count as cheating if we do that."

"Agreed."

Rich smiles. "Ya know, I watched you kiss other people, men and women. When you're drunk you become that crazy overexcited person who wants to do all sorts of inappropriate things, hug and kiss anyone he sees. But not me, never me. Think now I finally get why."

They don't move, don't change a thing. Even when their bristly chins touch it doesn't feel weird. It should, Rob thinks, but for some reason it doesn't.

"Are we going to, you know, do something 'bout, well, us?" Rob asks.

"D'you think we should?"

"Don't you?"

"Do I?"

"I'm askin' you, a-hole."

"Okay, here's an idea," Rich finds his phone under the couch and scrolls down to find Mollie's number. "Don't kill me for what I'm 'bout to do."

"And what's that, exactly?"

After a few seconds Mollie picks up. Rich, the king of persuading and dissuading, the master of a subtle art of conversation, blurts out: "Hey Mol, it's Rich. Is't okay for me to kiss yer huz?"

"What the fuck?" Rob yells at him. "Gimme the phone!"

"You promised not to kill me, remember?"

"Nope, I made no promises," Rob takes Rich's phone away from its owner and says: "Hey love, it's me. Rich's drunk. We're drunk. Pretend like it never happend, okay?"

"Right. Sure. Whatever," says Mollie quietly. And then her voice goes up: "Are you serious, _huz_?!"

"Well, I mean, Mol, can we, please, talk about it at home, whatever that it is. I don't know. We kinda... I don't... We're... Well, I mean, there's something, we're not sure what it is, but it's something, you see? Like... with me and him. Like... who knows what. We sure as hell don't know what. Maybe you know. Maybe it's why he called you. It's Rich, who knows Rich? No one does. He just does things, says things, that kind of things. Jeez, Rich, what the hell were you thinking about? Talk to her."

But Rich is seemingly asleep.

"O-oh, okay. He fell asleep. So the question doesn't really require an answer right now, I suppose."

"In that case, call me when you sober up, will ya?" she chuckles.

"Will do. Love you."

Rob hangs up, and instantly after that moment Rich opens his eyes. "Next time, don't lemme do shit like that, okay? I'm such an idiot when I'm drunk."

They fall asleep on a couch, this time for real. They have the rest of the weekend and then they're gonna part, but not for long. Rich is coming for the aftershow, finally.

Rob's a little afraid to go home and see Mollie, he has a lot of explaining to do - about Rich, drunk dialing, teanagers and stuff. They've talked on the phone but haven't actually discussed anything. Mollie waits for Rob to begin the conversation he was so desperately puttiing off. Rob can be a king just like Rich, but most of the time he just doesn't know where to begin. These last weeks, hosting a live show without his friend, proved him capable of being a king of conversations, but this superpower doesn't seem to work in his own kitchen. Mollie notices that and says:

"Relax, Rich called and explained everything."

"Damn, what an a-hole!"

"Good friend, you mean?"

"A-hole nonetheless. When was that?"

"Yesterday morning."

Rob is thankful and angry at the same time. With Rich it's always that weird mix of controversial feelings. Mollie hugs him and places a kiss on his cheek. "So," she says, "what are we gonna do?"

"Do we really need to do anything? I mean, we're fine just the way we are. The call was stupid. We didn't really wanted to do - whatever."

"And are you absolutely sure it ain't gonna get weirder?"

"Curiouser and curiouser," Ron laughs. "What d'you suggest we do?" And when Mollie doesn't answer, he continues. "There's no, hmm, unresolved sexual tension or whaterver it is you might think there is. We ain't in love - well, we are, but it's platonic. Last few weeks I wasn't quite myself, you know that. It wasn't because Rich was away. Or, well, it was, but mostly because he couldn't be in LA to host what was supposed to be _our_ live aftershow. That's it. Nothing's hidden there."

Mollie obviously doesn't agree with him, but there's no point in arguing. They exchange looks and she says: "One kiss, okay? I know you're not that kind of guy who cheats on his loved ones. I know you, Rob, okay? I grant you one kiss. I'm not saying you should go and kiss yer friend right away to know what it feels like. I just want you to know that if one day you wanna do it, just do it, and don't let Rich call me in 3 a.m. in the morning to ask permission to do something you're not even sure you wanna do. Got it?"

"Yes, mam."

"Cool," she smiles. "So, ready for dinner?"

Rich gets back from Canada and they finally do the live show together. Not so live, though, but anyway, it's such a relief to have Rich by his side. And then later they do the interviews and have fun - together. They talk the whole day: to each other, to other people, on and off camera. And can't get enough of it.

They walk along a quiet street long after midnight, tired and sweaty, shoulder to shoulder. Rob's telling his friend about the conversation with Mollie he had the day before. Rich chuckles: "Damn, man, they've talked. Our wives, I mean. Jaci said the exact same thing to me."

"And?"

"What?"

"Ya know what. You've started it, remember? Called my wife and-"

"Woah, it was you who brought up the question."

"Yeah, 'cause, ya know, you kinda made me do it."

"Oh, really?" Rich stops and shakes his head. "What the hell? Are we really doin' it? Blamin' each other? C'mon. Yer not gonna kiss me, I ain't gonna do it neither. What's the problem here?"

Even though Rob agrees with his friend one hundred percent, he can't help but ask: "Why?" His voice trembles.

"Dunno, reasons?" Rich is quietly watching Rob for a minute and then adds. "Thought you'd agree."

"Actually, I do. Though it'd be interesting to know why d'ya think we'd never use the granted kiss."

"We don't need it. What we have is good as it is. It's like the best thing ever. We don't need complications, do we? And we both know if the kiss ever happens, it'll change things. Change us. You might think 'bout it all in some other terms, but you certainly agree with me on the matter. Granted or not, it's no good."

"Sure," Rob nods. And repeats: "Sure."

Rich tilts his head a little. "You don't think that, do you? Oh my god, you actually don't think it's a bad idea. You agree that neither of us is gonna make a move, but you ain't really think we shouldn't."

"I hate that stupid high school drama that we have here, you and me."

"Oh you _love_ it."

"That's not what I've said."

"That's what I've heard."

Rob rolls his eyes. "Have you ever noticed the way we change our points of view durin' the conversation? Sometimes it's startin' with me opposin' something yer sayin', and then an hour later I'm defendin' the exact same thing. Funny, right?"

"Did we do it again? I haven't noticed."

"What I wanted to say was: I don't really consider this idea to be good or bad, because in the end of the day it doesn't matter what I think. Sooner or later, maybe even without bein' aware of doin' it, you're gonna convince me that it's just the opposite of what I think now. I'm sure there's nothing goin' on between us. I don't need to test it. At the same time, there's clearly something, and maybe we should address the matter. What happend in Frisco was weird, but it didn't feel that way at the moment. I just know, in my mind, that the situation was kinda strange, but-"

"Robbie," Rich puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let's do this."

"What? The granted kiss?"

"Yep."

"Why? Wasn't it a bad idea just a minute ago?"

"The worst. But if we keep talking about it, I'm afraid I won't like the conclusions we'll eventually come to. We have only one, right? Let's do it. And it won't bother us anymore."

"Are you - are you sure it works like this?"

"We'll find out soon enough. C'mon."

It turns out to be the hardest thing to do. Rich is nervous, and Rob's hands are shaking. They know there is no option to say "Cut!" and re-do it again and again until everything's perfect. There is no camera, no crew, no lights, no audience. Just an empty street and the two of them looking into each other's eyes thinking how stupid that situation is. For years they used conversations to deal with things. No matter what happend between them or in their personal lives, or their careers, they could always talk to each other. It was their medicine: long conversations, loud music and lots of alcohol.

And now this!

"I'm an actor," Rob says, laughing, "I went to an acting school, you see? Oh shit, I don't know how to do it, Rich."

"Quietly?" Rich says, mokingly, but it's as strange for him as it is for Rob. "Let's just do it, no more talkin', okay?"

They stare at each other and don't move, don't even try to kiss. It doesn't feel wrong, it just doesn't feel right. 

"Let's find a bar and talk." Rob says, "we're so much better at conversations than at all this, don't you think?"

"Sure," Rich nods. And then, when Rob's a few steps ahead of him, adds: "Sure."


End file.
